INTRODUCTION: C. parapsilosis is the second or third most isolated yeast from blood cultures in various parts of the world. It is a commonly isolated pathogen in Brazil and Ceará. C. parapsilosis is liable to form biofilms on catheters and other medical devices, which contributes to the spread of this yeast. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify and assess the antifungal susceptibility of C. parapsilosis isolates from blood and urine samples collected from patients in hospitals in Ceará. METHODS: We isolated and identified 57 strains of C. parapsilosis. The strains were identified by phenotypic and molecular tests. The susceptibility to antifungals was assessed by broth microdilution (Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute [CLSI] protocol M27A3). We tested five antifungals (amphotericin B, caspofungin, fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The strains were identified as C. parapsilosis by phenotypic tests and confirmed by molecular tests. As to the sensitivity profile, the strains were sensitive to the antifungal agents, hence resistance is still a rare phenomenon among C. parapsilosis isolates in Ceará.
Candida parapsilosis; Antifungals; Molecular identification
